The Washington critic., 1887-04-05
WASHINGTON, APRIL 3, 1887
THE NEW LAW IN FORCE.

W ASlllNt loNi Al Illi a. 1905
THE NEW LAW IN FORCE.
The Interstate Commerce Law goes
into effect to day-that is, the railroad
companies, so far as In their power,
have arranged their schedules Of trans
por,ation to conform with its pro.
visions Many points In the law, how.
ever, which are of doubtful interpreta-
,ion, remain to be determined upon
before 1t Is made completely operative.
The Board of Commissioners Is Judi.
cial as well as ministerial tribunal.
When the law fails Of clcarness and
intcllirlbili'y, the Commissioners must
decide rs to It's mcunlng, and their
rulings, for the time being, have all the
force Of legislative amendments. The
Commissioners have also wide dis
cretion, especially with regard to the
long and short haul business. They
can, If they choose suspend the pro.
visions of the fourth section al.
together" from time to time
prescribe the extent to which such
designated common carrier may be re-
lieved from the operation of this section
of the act" They will, Of course, rs
sagacious aud conservative men having
the business interests of the country at
heart, avoid hasty and arbitrary action
where another course is practicable. In
the natural order of things much time
must cnsue before the changes provided
for can become accomplished facts. No
great commercial revolution can, or
ought to be, wrought in day. 1t is
encouraging TO note that in this matter
the managers of the great railway sys'
TENS and the Interstate Commissioners
are alike actuated by desire and de.
termination to make the best Of an
embarrassing situation and place the
law in fair way to be fairly tested.
The result of the election In Cincln.
natl yesterday shows two things quite
conclusively-that the Labor men of
that city are better organized than they
have ever been before In municipal
contest, there or elsewhere, and that
the greater portion of their increased
strength was drawn from the Republl.
can, rather than the Democratic, party.
Such will doubtless be the case where.
ever the German population predomi.
mates. In cities where there is large
Irish Catholic vote, generally cast for
the Democratic ticket, the Knights of
Labor will be apt to draw largely from
that source, in case the recommenda.
tions of Cardinal Gibbons receive the
full assent of the Pope. The Knights
OF Labor, being recognized rs an order
not in conflict with the principles or
policy of the Church, will thus be
greatly strengthened; and the singular
spectacle be presented of a great party
composed iu one locality uf free think.
ing Germans, in another Of Roman
Catholics, and in still another OF AnGr-
chis,s aud Socialists. How long these
incongruous elements can be made to
hold together depends good deal on
the wisdom Of the two old parties; bu,
the prospect Il that the Labor party
however constituted. will form very
important. ii no, n formidable, factor
in the next Presidential contest
CARDINAL TAsCHEREAU of Canada,
who has just returned from Rome,
fears that the position taken by Cardi.
nal Gibbons in regard to the Knights
Of Labor will cause divisions In the
Church, and he is confident that the
Pope will never bless an order which
threatens revolution of society.
The Canadian prelate evidently mis-
understands the situation. 1t Is Cardi
nal Gibbons desire to prevent the di
visions which Cardinal Taschereau ap
prehends, and he reasons in this way
that as long as he can prevent any con
demnalion Of the order by the Church
he can the better hold his congrega
tions intact, the danger to America,
Catholicism lying in the hostility of tn
Vatican to the knights, rather thai
in Its friendship. 1t is delicate an,
embarrassing question at best, and o
quite as much interest to the politica
as to the religious world.
THE election in Chicago takes plac
to-day. John A. Roche, boiler
maker, Is the Republican candldat
for Mayor, and Robert Nelson, an iron
moulder, the Labor candidate. Tn
Democrats are without candidate an,
will divide such vote as they cast be
tween Roche and Nelson, the conserve
tives, like Lyman Trumbull and Potte
Palmer, supporting the Republica
ticket, and many of Carter Harrison
friends, no doubt, the ticket of til
worhingmen, The Anarchists and 81
cialists to a man will vote for Nclsoi
THE reported secession of Southcr
troops from tie National Drill is NJ
likely 10 shake the pillars Of the Go
vernment from their foundations. I'll
exhibition will go on according to pr
grammc, and there is no danger OF Il
colored brother becoming a seriol
element of disturbance. The Soutl
with the exception Of a few disGruntlt
sections, promises 10 he fully repr
sen,ed, In spite Of the great cry an
little wool" scare from Alabama
FRANK HURD says he has an ol
banner at home Inscribed "Pol
Dallas and Free Trade which he II
tends IN fix IN and carry through III